The campus branch of the National Tertiary Education Union proposes an administrative pay increase during bargaining for a new enterprise agreement. The union says the “cost of living crisis” requires it
However Curtin U management responds, “the bargaining of the new Enterprise Agreement is about the employment conditions of our staff, including salary increases and benefits. It does not include administrative payments.
“Curtin University and the NTEU are equally committed to having bargaining completed by early November 2022, so that a new agreement can be put to a staff vote before the end of November.”
It is common-ish practise for universities to award payrises during protracted bargaining when previous rises were a while back, with the increase factored in to final agreements. Western Sydney U awarded one last week (CMM July 26).
The arrival of inflation has also encouraged managements to award increases ahead of new agreements.
Uni Tasmania recently announced a 4.6 per cent pay rise, plus a $1000 one-off payment to staff earning under $80 0000 pa, with bargaining still underway (CMM July 4). And in May Uni Sydney promised a 2. 1 per cent rise and $1000 one-off payment, “in the context of increases to the cost of living.” The Uni Sydney enterprise agreement expired in June. Curtin U’s agreement nominally expired June 30 2021.